The ninth Mods & Rockers Film Festival opens June 26 in Hollywood with the world premiere of "The Seventh Python," a look at the life and music of longtime Monty Python associate, former Bonzo Dog Band member and Rutles singer and songwriter .
The following night, Innes will play a solo concert in the American Cinematheque's Egyptian Theatre, where the festival's mix of new and classic music-centric films will be run. "The Seventh Python" references Innes' close working and personal relationship with the six members of the British comedy troupe. The opening-night program also will include the first public screening of the film of the Bonzo Dog Band's 40th anniversary concert.
"I've always thought Neil Innes is the embodiment of the two finest aspects of the culture of the last 40 years: the music and the humor," festival organizer Martin Lewis said Wednesday. "It's still astonishing to me how few people know about him. There's no point in having a film festival if you can't use it to promote the people who are truly worthy of it."
In addition to the Innes salute, the festival will include the world premiere of the documentary "The Syd Barrett & Pink Floyd Story" (screening July 2), the U.S. premiere of "Love Story," a documentary of L.A.-based rock group Love and its mercurial leader Arthur Lee (June 29) and films highlighting the Athens, Ga., Rock scene featuring R.E.M., the B-52's, Exene Cervenka and Jack White (July 9).
To conclude the two-week event, Lewis is giving Mods & Rockers an American accent by including British documentarian Tony Palmer’s 17-hour TV series "All You Need Is Love."
Palmer was a friend of John Lennon, who in the 1970s suggested to Palmer that he should explore in depth the roots of American pop music.
His 1977 series spans ragtime, jazz and swing through blues, R&B and early rock 'n' roll, including one episode with the Beatles discussing their American influences.
All episodes, will be shown over Independence Day weekend July 5 and 6. That portion of the festival has its own website, www.HappyBirthdayAmerica.usTony Palmer’s.
Information: (323) 466-3456 or www.modsandrockers.com.
randy.lewis@latimes.com
Friday 27 June 2008
Thursday 19 June 2008
Former Steps star reveals 'nightmare'
Former Steps star Ian 'H' Watkins has said that he found growing up gay a "complete nightmare".
The singer, who appeared on 'Celebrity Big Brother' last year, made the revelations in a new documentary 'Week In, Week Out' for BBC One Wales.
Speaking about growing up in Wales, the singer said: "I'm gay, and today I'm completely open about it. But growing up here in the Rhondda, it was a complete nightmare."
"The bullies at school sensed I was gay and picked on me relentlessly," he said.
"Despite my success, I couldn't be myself. In a pop group like Steps, you need to be three things: single, sexy and straight. I had to lie about the last one."
The singer, who appeared on 'Celebrity Big Brother' last year, made the revelations in a new documentary 'Week In, Week Out' for BBC One Wales.
Speaking about growing up in Wales, the singer said: "I'm gay, and today I'm completely open about it. But growing up here in the Rhondda, it was a complete nightmare."
"The bullies at school sensed I was gay and picked on me relentlessly," he said.
"Despite my success, I couldn't be myself. In a pop group like Steps, you need to be three things: single, sexy and straight. I had to lie about the last one."
Thursday 12 June 2008
R. Kelly Trial Adjourned As Phone Witness Comes Forward
Troubled R+B star R. KELLY's child pornography trial has taken a strange twist thanks to a phone call.
One of the singer's lawyers prompted Judge Vincent Gaughan to adjourn the case on Wednesday (28May08) after coming forward with a new witness he claimed could potentially impeach someone else's testimony.
The attorney, Sam Adam, told Judge Gaughan that the new witness was flying to Chicago, Illinois and the defence team needed time to depose the man, who had phoned in vital information.
Kelly has pleaded not guilty to 14 counts of child pornography for allegedly videotaping himself having sex with a 13-year-old girl. He maintaiins the man on the tape is not him, and the alleged victim, now 23, has denied she is the girl in the footage.
Previous to the decision to adjourn the trial, the court heard from a high school basketball coach, who once trained the alleged girl on the sex tape.
The coach, Jacques Conway, identified his former player by the distinctive cross worn by the female participant on the graphic video.
One of the singer's lawyers prompted Judge Vincent Gaughan to adjourn the case on Wednesday (28May08) after coming forward with a new witness he claimed could potentially impeach someone else's testimony.
The attorney, Sam Adam, told Judge Gaughan that the new witness was flying to Chicago, Illinois and the defence team needed time to depose the man, who had phoned in vital information.
Kelly has pleaded not guilty to 14 counts of child pornography for allegedly videotaping himself having sex with a 13-year-old girl. He maintaiins the man on the tape is not him, and the alleged victim, now 23, has denied she is the girl in the footage.
Previous to the decision to adjourn the trial, the court heard from a high school basketball coach, who once trained the alleged girl on the sex tape.
The coach, Jacques Conway, identified his former player by the distinctive cross worn by the female participant on the graphic video.
Friday 6 June 2008
Seal - Seals Icy Proposal To Klum
British pop star SEAL proposed to his supermodel wife HEIDI KLUM in an igloo.
The couple got engaged in 2005 and married a year later (06). They now have two children together, as well Klum's daughter Leni from a previous relationship.
And Klum admits the singer went to great lengths to ensure he popped the question in the most romantic way possible - in an Igloo handbuilt in the Canadian Rockies mountain range.
She tells U.S. magazine Marie Claire, "(He) took me by helicopter. He had an igloo built there, and they'd brought up everything: a bed with sheets inside the igloo, rose petals everywhere, candles. Very, very romantic!
"There was food and champagne, and then the helicopter left. It was a little scary, too, because you're so cut off from the world. No trees, nothing - it was hardcore. But I was ecstatic."
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